


Fulcrum's Fall

by shadowmaat



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Gen, Implied Torture, Spoilers for Through Imperial Eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 20:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10044260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowmaat/pseuds/shadowmaat
Summary: Kallus thought he'd be more useful if he stayed behind. He was right, just not in the way he imagined.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've been enjoying the idea of Kallus officially defecting and joining the rebels (and Zeb) but the more I watch the less convinced I am that he's going to survive. This is one version of what I think might happen and no, it doesn't have a happy ending.

It was getting harder to maintain the charade of a dutiful ISB agent. A couple of weeks had passed since Bridger’s ill-conceived attempt to “rescue” him and there were days when Kallus wondered if he should have left after all.

Lieutenant Lyste had been interrogated and “transferred” to points unknown, but rather than relieving some of the pressure Kallus felt as if his tension had doubled. There were more safeguards, more security checks, and more routine sweeps than ever before and he could almost feel his time running out. What he was doing was necessary, though, and he kept reminding himself of that even as he lost lost sleep and struggled to keep to his daily routine.

Thrawn had been keeping him closer, too, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow the Grand Admiral knew all about him. It featured heavily in some of his nightmares. Even now he was stuck on the _Chimaera_ , answering as best as he could as Thrawn discussed the latest addition to his art collection.

The comm chirped. “Grand Admiral, we’re about to drop out of hyper.”

“Very well. Proceed as ordered.” Thrawn looked at him. “Agent Kallus, why don’t you join me on the bridge? This is sure to be… educational.”

“Of course, sir.” Kallus fell into step behind him, wondering when he’d be able to excuse himself. Resupply runs were dull and even if there was a chance that the Rebels might attack (he had, after all, told them where they’d be) it wasn’t likely that he’d be needed. There were more important things he could be doing.

They arrived on the bridge just as Kallus felt the shift to realspace. Instead of the expected station, however, a planet filled the viewscreen. A planet and numerous ships. Emergency klaxons sounded.

“You were right, sir! It’s the Rebel Fleet!”

Kallus went cold. This wasn’t Resupply Station Grek. Where were they? And why hadn’t he been told?

“Welcome to Atollon, Agent Kallus.” Thrawn was standing right behind him. “The location of that Rebel Base we’ve been trying so hard to locate.”

“I… see.” He could feel himself breaking out in a cold sweat. The base. Somehow despite all their precautions Thrawn had found the base. He studied the viewscreen, looking for the familiar shape of the _Ghost_.

TIE fighters were swarming among the small fleet, who’d been caught unprepared. Unprepared because Kallus hadn’t warned them, hadn’t even known. His stomach churned. This was a disaster. And they were going to blame him. He sent a silent wish out into the Force that the _Ghost_ was safe somewhere far, far away.

“It’s always nice when one’s research pays off, wouldn’t you agree, Agent?”

“Yes, sir.” He wanted to look away from the devastation unfolding, but he couldn’t.

“And now all of the pieces have finally fallen into place and we can put an end to this farce once and for all.”

“Yes, sir,” he repeated.

“With me, Agent Kallus.”

He blinked, turning to look at Thrawn. “What?”

Thrawn’s smile was thin and sharp. “I’m going down to the surface to see this base for myself. I thought perhaps you might care to join me since this is as much your victory as it is mine.”

“Uh…” He struggled to think of an excuse. “I’m honored, sir, but I think I might-”

“You will accompany me, Agent.” Thrawn’s ruby eyes locked on his. “That’s an order.”

“Yes, sir.”

The ride down was quiet, leaving Kallus with far too much time to think. And worry. What had gone wrong? Where was Garazeb and the others? If they were still on the base… He forced his jaw to unclench and did his best not to frown. This was supposed to be a victory, after all, even if it felt more like a funeral.

There were troopers everywhere as they exited the shuttle, exchanging fire with the last few holdouts and securing the perimeter. It had all happened so fast. He was still having trouble believing it was real. Until they walked into a control room to find three familiar figures bound and kneeling on the floor. Kallus’s heart sank. Bridger, Jarrus, and the Twi’lek captain Hera Syndulla. They didn’t look happy to see him.

Thrawn confirmed their identities as well, referring to Jarrus by his original name of Caleb Dume. “Excellent work, Agent Kallus,” he said. “It seems your plan to infiltrate the Rebellion has worked flawlessly.”

Kallus startled, head snapping around to look at him. “What?!”

“I knew it!” Bridger tried to lunge to his feet, snarling. “You lying backstabbing-”

“Quiet, Rebel scum!” The trooper holding him clocked him in the back of the head and Bridger went down.

“No! I-” Kallus glanced at the others. The Twi’lek’s expression had hardened into a narrow-eyed scowl while Jarrus remained stoic, head tilted as if listening to something none of them could hear.

“No need to be so modest, Agent Kallus.” Thrawn placed a hand on his shoulder, fingers digging in to the point of pain. His eyes were as hard as blood crystals. “I admit I had my doubts, but it seems that you were successful in convincing them of your _honorable_ intentions as the spy Fulcrum.”

Kallus’s mouth went dry. He locked his knees as they threatened to wobble. Thrawn knew. Of course he knew. And now the future- as short as it was- would play out exactly as it had in his nightmares. There was still a choice, here. Such as it was.

“No!” He tried to turn to look at the prisoners. “He’s lying! I was trying to help you! You have to believe me!”

Bridger clearly didn’t, as evidenced by the invectives he was hurling. It was harder to tell with the Twi’lek and the Jedi.

“There’s no need to keep up this charade, Agent.” Thrawn’s fingers dug deeper. “The game is over and trust me, you will be suitably rewarded for your actions.”

It was a threat and a promise all in one. There were too many guards around for him to do anything and he’d already seen evidence that Thrawn himself was a superior fighter. He made one last attempt to try and convince the Ghost crew that he was on their side before Thrawn dragged him away to “celebrate our victory.”

The only bright spot, if it was one, was that Garazeb hadn't been on the base. The droid, too, seemed to have escaped. Kallus clung to that later as he lay broken and bleeding in his cell. Maybe they got away. Maybe they were still out there somewhere. Safe.

The Empire did not take kindly to traitors and Thrawn had called in a specialist to help. Even within the ISB loyalty officers were something to be feared, and Rath Velus seemed to derive special pleasure in extracting answers from him. He couldn’t remember how much information he’d given up and it hardly mattered. His use to the Empire was at its end and there would be no seeking refuge in the Rebellion now, not after the display on Atollon. Kallus curled tighter around his broken ribs and wished things could have been different. Wished he’d been more useful. Wished he’d left when he had the chance. Wished he could have apologized to Zeb- to Garazeb. Wished, wished, wished.

At some point he realized he could hear the sound of klaxons and smiled. Undoubtedly Zeb was staging a daring rescue of his friends. They didn’t come for him, of course. He wasn’t surprised. He wished them the best of luck and then he closed his eyes.


End file.
